October 10 marks World Mental Health Day, a global initiative first established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1992 to raise awareness about mental health and mobilize efforts to support it.

In honor of this important day, a public awareness event titled “The Mind is an Organ” will be held on October 11, at Edu Park in Khan-Uul District from 1:00 p.m. The event is being jointly organized by the Ministry of Health, the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), and the Mongolian Children’s Council.

Aimed at adolescents and young people aged 10 to 19, the campaign will be held under the slogan “Mental health matters—Take care”. In addition to live performances and entertainment, the event will feature professional psychologists offering free mental health consultations. Organizers are encouraging parents to attend with their children and take part in this vital conversation.

Mental health challenges—particularly among young people—remain a global concern. According to WHO, 77 percent of all suicide cases worldwide occur in developing and low-income countries, and suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among adolescents.

Mongolia, too, faces serious mental health challenges. According to the 2023 national health statistics, the country reported a suicide rate of 14.7 per 100,000 people. Alarmingly, among those aged 20 tp 24, 27.4 percent of deaths were due to suicide. For those aged 25 to 29, the rate was 20.6 percent, and for 15 to 19-year-olds, a staggering 23.6 percent—meaning nearly one in four deaths in this age group resulted from suicide.

Mental health professionals identify depression as one of the leading causes behind suicide. As such, they emphasize the importance of recognizing and treating mental health issues early, just as we would with any physical illness.